Anyone have multiple chemical insensitivity (MCS)?

@dennisjenkins Welcome to Mayo Connect, where a number of members have mention they suffer MCS. Can you tell us about how you were diagnosed, and what treatment you are pursuing?

Multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS) is a proposed name for a variety of symptoms that seem to happen after exposure to small amounts of certain substances. Bounce fabric softener poisoning for three weeks.
Shaking
Sweating
Weakness
***Trouble with focusing or memory (“brain fog”) ***
Impending sense of doom
Desire to escape a situation
Not all providers recognize MCS as an official diagnosis. There aren’t any specific tests for it. Tests of organ function usually come back normal, which makes it difficult to pinpoint health issues.
There are no specific treatments for MCS. You can work with your provider to manage your symptoms and try to find ways to avoid substance
I take anxiety, blood pressure, joint pain, medicine. No energy, lose my bounce, memory has got really bad. I have it for year and half now. Geeting sicker every day.
THANKS DENNIS

dennisjenkins, Did you by chance have COVID? Some of your symptoms fall into the Long Covid category, especially since it's been a 1.5 years of the onset.

Is there a COVID Recovery Clinic near you where you can be checked?

Blessings & Prayers.....

Thanks for checking on me. My MCS started Jan. 2024, metal taste in my mouth, burning lips, and a knot in my throat the first few weeks. I had COVID after, all most a year later. Nov. Or Dec. 2024.
THANKS DENNIS

I also am highly sensitive to multiple chemical odors which my respirologist calls irritant asthma. No allergies to anything. The hard part was figuring out what the triggers are and then eliminating them all. Bounce, all fragrances and scents (perfumes, shampoos room scents shampoos scented candles etc) and my family and friends had to eliminate them too. Also chemicals in carpet stores, formaldehyde in furniture like IKEA. There’s a lot of places one can’t go, but I feel good again. Asthma meds and emergency inhalers are a must. Good luck!

Thanks, I'm doing the same thing. But I had to get a new RV to get home from FL. I feel bad every day. Dr. has me on three anxiety meds. To slow my system down. Played pickleball 5 days a week, now once in 6 months.
THANKS DENNIS

I read up on irritant asthma. I have no breathing problems, wheezing, coughing, shortness of breath, and chest tightness. Blood work is always good.

If your allergist is not working with you towards a solution, it is time to go to a new allergist for a different perspective.

@drsharon - I've been through a process with combing through chemical odors to improve my asthma, and also in some cases, my allergies. I now wonder why our society is so scented. I had to go through body and hair cleaning and other products, get rid of my fragrances that I'd previously really liked, and change some housecleaning, clothes washing, hand washing and room spray products. I also had to request some people in my life change some things, such as my mom's hand soap in her guest bath, that set off my asthma. I still need to ask my mother-in-law when we visit about her toilet cleaning product, which makes me cough terribly.

I seem to fare okay when products are scented with essential oils and not faux fragrance, but mostly I've gone fragrance free.

I've not thought about places I go so much, except in homes that have cats, which I'm quite allergic to. What other places do you find you have to stay away from to avoid the irritant asthma, drsharon?

Unfortunately, there are a lot of problematic places- Hotels have “signature scents” (less so in Europe and Asia but you have to ask) and running through the duty free perfume at the airport is not so much fun. Malls are usually full of scent. Going to concerts and shows are difficult. Air “fresheners” in taxis. Lawn mowers, power boats. The best you can do is make family and friends aware of how sick you become so that they can spread the word to other guests and eliminate scented candles etc. Good luck. It’s hard